Right Choices
by Noelle D. Gray
Summary: Aisalyn Trevelyan is a hard working agent of the Inquisition who wants nothing more than for things to go back to normal. Eventually learning that she can't do this alone. Finding solace through Varric's stubbornness in this test of her character as she struggles to do what's right for the Inquisition. Rated M for future smut, swearing and just in case. PLEASE REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"In the time I spent in the hinterlands, I collected 12 of the shards I spied, got the horse master, investigated the cult, fed and warmed the refugees, persuaded several mages and common folk into being our agents and destroyed a handful of red lryium spots. If you have nothing more for me to do right at this moment I'd like to rest and figure out which group is better suited to help us close the breach," Aisalyn said brushing her blonde hair behind her ear.

"Yes, I see no urgent need for you. Enjoy your break," Josephine said looking over her lists.

Aisalyn left the war room and headed back to her room. Changing out of her armor and setting her daggers on the table. Taking up a thick coat and a pair of books, one on Templars and the other on mages she went down to the stable near the frozen lake so she could sit with Jolly the Bog Unicorn. She couldn't believe no one wanted him. Sure he was a little startling to look at but he was so loving to her and Aisalyn adored him the moment she saw him.

Growing up in a noble house devoted to the chantry, Aisalyn felt as if she needed a less rose tinted look at the Templar's and she needed a less propagandized view of mages. That is if she was to make the right choice for the Inquisition. Her biases didn't matter in the eyes of a common good. And though she would rather be out in the hinterlands solving more problems this was the important choice at hand. So she sat, back against a small cliff and butt on the fence with Jolly grazing or poking his nose into her chin length hair when he wanted her to give him attention.

"What are you doing out here all by yourself?"

Aisalyn looked up or rather tried but the need Jolly had for attention made it difficult. She saw the short, stocky dwarf she'd seen when she first tried to close the breach. He had his arms crossed and his lips formed a half smile as the Bog Unicorn sniffed her hair and made it a challenge for her to look at him.

"Multitasking, and I'm not alone," she said extending her arm up and out to point at the Bog Unicorn, "I have Jolly."

"So he finally found a home?"

"Yup, he stays with me even if Dennet doesn't like him. I think we met once, Varric right?"

"That's right, and you are Aisalyn."

"Yup, and if you call me the Herald of Andraste I will smack you," she said, "I'm just an agent. Nothing more."

"I'll just call you Lyn."

"I can live with that," she said smiling a little.

"So what are you doing out here?"

"I'm reading about the Templar's then I'll start on the mages. That is if Jolly will let me," she replied scratching behind his ear, "then after that I'll go meet Fiona in Redcliffe. At least she'll tell me her terms and that couldn't hurt."

"You will need a team to go with you."

"I go quicker alone. Easier to slip past bandits and that means less illusion powder to make me invisible. Hate the stuff it makes me dizzy. Besides less people out in the field lowers the risk of more death meaning more help here, needs of the many and all that."

"Well whether you like it or not, I'm going with you."

"What? No," she said looking up.

"You aren't going alone."

"I have since the beginning why would I start now. Cassandra and Solas need you here," Aisalyn said lowering the book.

"Because things are getting real. You need a team who can have your back the whole time."

"It's because I have this bloody mark isn't it?"

"You have a target on your back too. And we are your friends. We want to help you."

"You aren't going to back down, are you?"

"No."

She groaned.

"Sorry, you are going to have to deal with it."

"I don't need help," she muttered.

"Yes. You do you just don't want to ask for it. You can't do this by yourself."

"You told me to run at the first chance. Because of the mark I can't do that. So I work and my ethic is quite extreme. Jolly can't even keep up sometimes. I can't imagine any one of you being able to do the same. Especially the warriors, heavy armor and weapons. Mages draw attention. Not just the staffs but the robes, the smugness, the fact that Solas won't fucking wear shoes..."

"You need to accept the fact that there are people who want to help you."

"This will be a huge waste of your time," she reassured him, "hours upon days of following my ass as I do tedious quests to get words."

Varric shook his head, "Is that what you think this is about? Lyn I came to the Inquisition to help. All of us here came to help and if you think that you can just run off on your own and get killed you are wrong. Deal with it," Varric huffed as he got annoyed as he turned and walked away.

To be honest she felt a little bad but not enough to get up and go after him. In fact she didn't want to see him. So she agreed in her head to go in the dead of night without telling anyone...no she'd leave a note. With a nod she went back to reading until it was dark. She said goodnight to Jolly and went back to her room. Writing to her family and eventually seeing the fires go out. This made her leap up and get her armor on. Tip toeing to the stable to get Jolly.

"Nice try Kid."

"Andraste's tit!" She jumped hissing at him, "don't fucking do that!"

Standing behind her was Varric, Vivienne, and Bull.

"How did you know?"

Varric and Bull just smiled "We had an inkling. When are you going to learn that you need a team?"

"But I don't," she said, "If you die then it's my fault."

"And if you die where will we be? Screwed."

She groaned, "You act like I'm not capable of protecting myself."

"And you act all high and mighty sometimes because you think you are too good for help," Varric said in a smug manner. He knew she wasn't' high and mighty he just wanted to push her buttons.

She got close to him, looking down at him, "do you want me to get to your level or do you want a box? Cause I want you to say that to my face."

"Now now kids, no fighting." Bull joked

They both shot Bull a look.

"We have a job to do," Vivienne groaned

"I had a job to do," she mumbled to herself.

"We are all in this and apart of this whether you like it or not."

"Yeah yeah yeah," she said and mounted Jolly heading towards the Hinterlands.

"Look at us. A team."

Aisalyn rolled her eyes and continued on to the small Outskirts town then up to Redcliffe. Being undead Jolly galloped most of the way. This caused Bull and Varric to zip passed her when she stopped to buy some fabric. Varric thought she did this on purpose to watch them fumble to a stop then turn around. The smirk on her face when she looked at him told him he was right.

"I swear..."

"I told you," she said packing up the gold fabric in her bag and getting back up on Jolly.

"We still aren't leaving you alone."

"If you say so," she grinned urging Jolly into a gallop again.

Bull muttered a curse in his native tongue, "What beef do you have with that girl?"

"I dont."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

They made it to Redcliffe only to be given the odd task of getting a damn Ram back to his owner. Aisalyn had seen it and galloped back to the place they had collected Blackwall. She rode so fast that her hat was being held down by her hand. Jolly whinnied with joy as Varric could hear Aisalyn laughing.

"She is something going else isn't she?" Varric said once they had gotten back to Redcliffe.

"Scatter brained noble girl who can't say no to anyone except you," Bull said watching her get gold for bringing the Ram home safe.

"And doesn't want help because she feels responsible for the whole Inquisition, just an Agent my ass," Varric said really looking at her. He'd seen her but never actually looked at her the way his writers mind would see her. She was very fair like porcelain he'd decided and her eyes were an odd green, odd meaning sometimes they looked green and in other lights they appeared yellow. Her hair was blonde a very light blonde and he wondered why she cut it to her chin, most noble women her age would love to have thick platinum blonde hair to pull up into elegant styles. Her age…24…he was sure of it. And her nose, it wasn't too slim but it wasn't big and it had the slightest upturn to it and…

"She believes in the Maker but doesn't believe she's Andraste's chosen. Probably because she failed when she tried closing the Breach," Bull said interrupting Varric's thoughts.

"It's just meant she doesn't have enough power. That doesn't mean that she failed.

"She may not see it that way. Powering her up is only a theory. There's a lot doubt in theories. The Inquisition isn't doing anything good for that by spreading tales of The Herald of Andraste. She's just one girl and that is a lot of pressure."

"I know."

"So that gentlemen, One Eyed Jimmy, says he has a friend who lost his Druffalo down near Dennets farm-" Aisalyn said coming back to the two men.

"Are we headed that way?" Bull asked.

"No, we'll meet with Fiona first then head that way."

"Alright Boss lead the way."

She walked to the tavern where the scouts had said Fiona would be. To her surprise Fiona didn't remember Aisalyn in the least. And promptly informed them that she was no longer in control of the mages but instead she had given power to the Magister Alexius. Aisalyn tried to be civil but Varric could tell she was tense. Gratefully Alexius's son drew him away and slipped her a note. Telling her to go to the Chantry.

"Well this is promising."

"We should check it out… "

"Ah, so you decided to follow the note, would you mind helping me close this?" A man asked as they came into the Chantry.

The small party had helped and the man looked at Aisalyn fascinated, "how do you do that?" Seeing her confused expression he laughed, "You don't even know do you? Just wiggle your fingers and boom! Rift closes."

"Who are you?"

"Dorian Pavus, and you are Aisalyn Trevelyan I've heard of your family in Ostwick. Nice people, fun at parties."

"A Vint?" Bull asked nose crinkling in disgust.

"Suspicious friends you have," he said smiling at them, he went on to explain time magic and how Alexius planned to use it. And if she wanted to take him down then he wanted to help. Aisalyn elected to think on it and went back to Jolly. Heading to Redcliffe farm unfortunately it was getting late and Varric, Aisalyn and Vivienne sat by the fire.

"It has come to my attention, Varric, that you are writing a story about me," Vivienne said breaking the silence.

"It's just notes at the moment but yes," he said.

"And what, pray tell, is this story about?"

"Orlesian political thriller, masquerades, back stabbing, murders, witty dialogue."

"And who am I in this story?"

"Well actually," he chuckled, "you're the villain."

Vivienne laughed, "And who is the hero?"

"I don't know," he shrugged.

"What about someone like Aisalyn? Or do you have something planned for her?" Vivienne asked this made Aisalyn look at him.

"I don't know yet."

Aisalyn smiled to herself and turned in for the night.

"I'd like to read this story before you publish Darling," Vivienne said before she turned in herself.

The next morning they headed back to confront Alexius. The small party met with Dorian outside Redcliffe and he led a team through the underground tunnels into the castle while Aisalyn went to the castle with Varric and Bull. Varric smiled as a servant told he and Bull to stay behind and Aisalyn rejected that saying "if they stay, I stay. Then where will we be?" Maybe the idea of a team had finally grown on her. Begrudgingly the man let them pass.

"Well well welcome back my friend," he purred shifting his weight in the Redcliffe throne, "glad to see you've come to your senses."

"Yes, I wised up. To the fact that you're trying to kill me Alexius," Aisalyn said with a smirk just as several of his men's throats were slit. "You're men are dead now tell me about your "Elder One"."

"Never," he said standing but a scout took him by the forehead and raised a blade.

"Move and you die," she hissed.

"I...know your voice..." He said confused, "Amissius?"

"I shed my Vint name, I'm Hilde now," the girl said.

Alexius didn't say anything but his face became racked with sadness then anger. "If you have rejected your family you are no daughter of mine," he said and elbowed her stomach casting the spell, sending Dorian, Aisalyn and Hilde away. Only to appear in a flooded dungeon.

"Well he handled that better than I thought," Hilde murmured softly from beneath her hood

"I'm sorry that had to be the way you met him again." Dorian said and Hilde shrugged.

"It would have been that way no matter how we did it.""Where are we?"

"Somewhere in the Redcliffe castle."

"Then how are we waist deep in water?"

"We're in a dungeon darling. It seems Alexius moved us through time."

"But where? How far?" Aisalyn asked searching for a key.

"I don't know. It never worked before."

"Then we have to find out. C'mon," she said finding the key and opening the cell.

"Don't you care who I am?" Hilde asked.

"You're his long lost daughter and at this moment as long as you're on my side, I don't care who you are," Aisalyn said getting the door open, "We'll have tea, biscuits and a chat if I'm not dead after we get back and the Breach is closed. Those are what are pressing at the moment."

"Delightful isn't she," Dorian said pushing passed Hilde to follow.

The whole castle was crawling with red lyrium. Exploring the castle they happened upon Varric. Dazed with red lyrium and weak. He looked up at them.

"Andrastes sacred knickers...You're alive?" He stood, "where were you? How did you escape?"

"We didn't escape, Alexius sent us into the future." Dorian explained.

"Everything that happens to you is weird," he smiled at Aisalyn.

"You noticed that too?" She smiled, "now you understand why I don't like a team. You look awful... What happened to you?"

"Bite your tongue, I look damn good for a dead man."

"You're no more dead than we are," Dorian said.

"The not dying version of this red lyrium stuff? Way worse, just saying," Varric retorted

"We have a plan to get us back. This won't ever happen to you," Aisalyn said.

"You make it sound easy. Alexius is just a servant. His Elder One assassinated the Empress and the weather demon army and a huge invasion of the south. The older one rules everything. What's left of it anyway Alexius... Is really not the one you need to worry about."

"I promise you, Varric we'll make sure none of this happens."

"I'm pretty sure you're crazy. Or I'm crazy. Either way, it's a nice thought." He smirked, " you want to take on Alexius? I meant. Let's go."

The group found Bull next.

"You're not dead? You're supposed to be dead. There was a burn on the ground and everything."

"Alexius didn't kill us. The spell sent us time. This is our future." Dorian explained.

"Well, it's my present. And in my past, I definitely saw you both die."

"Are you alright? You don't look so good."

"Red lyrium. If I'm lucky, it'll kill me. If not... I'm hoping I die fighting."

"You're dying?"

"No, he's not. If we find Alexius, we go back, and none of this will happen. Remember?"

"Kill Alexis. Sounds good. Let's go." Bull said.

It some more time but eventually they found Leiliana being tortured in a dungeon while being interrogated. The man took up a knife and approached her.

"You will break!" He growled taking the knife to her throat.

"I will die first!" She corrected him before Aisalyn came in making the man look at her. "Or you will." She wrapped her legs around his throat and broke his neck.

"You're alive..." She breathed as she was let down from her restraints.

"You're safe now."

"Forget safe. If you came back from the dead, you need to do better than safe. You need to end this. Do you have weapons?"

Aisalyn nodded.

"Good. The Magister is probably in his chambers."

"You... Aren't you curious how we got here?"

"No."

"Alexia sent us into the future. This. His victory, his elder one... It was never meant to be."

"If we get back to the present and stop Alexius, then you'll never have to go through this.." Aisalyn added.

"And mages always wonder why people feared them..." The spymaster said

"It's dangerous and unpredictable. Before the breach, nothing we did..."

"Enough."

"This is all pretend to you, some future you hope will never exist. I suffered. The whole world suffered. It was real." She corrected Dorian harshly.

Coming to a main chamber they closed a rift...two of them. And finally the door to the throne. To their surprise he looked sad.

"It's over Alexius."

"So it is. I knew you would appear again. Not that it would be now. But I knew I hadn't destroyed you. My final failure." He said

"Was it worth it? Everything you did to the world? To yourself?"

"It doesn't matter now. All we can do is wait at the end."

"It does matter. I will and do this."

"How many times I have tried? The past cannot be undone. And what have I wrought? Ruin and death. There is nothing else. The elder one comes: from me, for you, for us all."

Leiliana grabbed the shambled man that stood hunched over and put a knife to his throat.

"Felix..." Alexius said.

"That's Felix? Maker's breath, Alexis, what have you done?" Dorian cried.

"He would have died, Dorian! I saved him! Please, don't hurt my son. I'll do anything you ask."

"Hand over the amulet, and we will let him go." Aisalyn said.

"Let him go, & I swear I'll get you what you want."

Leiliana glared at Alexius, "I want the world back." And she slit his throat sending Alexius into a rage.

Once they had killed him Dorian had the amulet.

"He wanted to die didn't he? All those lies he told himself, the justifications... He lost with Felix long ago and didn't even notice. Oh, Alexius..."

"I know you cared for him."

"Once he was a man to whom I compared all others. Sad, isn't it? This is the same amulet he used before. I think it's the same one we made in Minrathous. That's a relief. Give me an hour to work out the spell he used, and I should be able to reopen the rift."

"An hour? That's impossible! You must go now!" Leiliana exclaimed as a high pitched screech broke the silence. "The Elder One..."

"We'll take out as many as we can..." Bull said, "Leliana you're the last line of defense."

"I will not let you die!" Aisalyn protested looking at Varric.

"Look at us. We're already dead. You have as much time as I have arrows."

"The darkness closes, I am shielded by flame," she said as the door burst open and a demon, to Aisalyn's horror, tossed Varric's limb body to the floor. "Andraste guide me. Maker, take me to your side." Then she was struck too.

"You move and we all die!" Dorian shouted.

And suddenly. They were no longer surrounded. Aisalyn turned to Alexius. "You'll have to do much better than that."

He fell to his knees. The rest felt like a blur, she sided with the mages and got them to head to Haven. And then she was in an inn sitting on her bed. The images of her friends dying.

"Are you okay?" Hilde asked noticing her on her bed head in her hands.

"I'm...fine..."

"We corrected the future. Your friends will live." Hilde said softly before her own mind wandered. "I still pray for my brother."

"I watched them all die...for me..." She shook her head. "Now tell me your story."

"When my father started to become how he is now. I left with Dorian. My brother begged me to leave. He didn't want me seeing my father become a monster. And they are your friends. They would die for you because they want to."

"I wouldn't allow it. I was alone I mean I did all this alone til now and right off the bat...they die because of me. I will never bring a team with me."

"I don't think you have a choice. All of the people in the inquisition would willingly die for you. They are your friends and they want to help you. The more you try to deny it the more they will do it to spite you."

"So Varric died to spite me..."

"He died to save you because he cares about you."

"He could've listened to me and wouldn't have died in that future..."

"And then what? You die? Where would we be if you died? Exactly that future is where we would be."

She shook her head before leaving the room. Going down the hall to find Vivienne and Varric at a table.

"And then the great first enchanter seduces the Marquis..."

"But why? I see no gain in that."

"Because then she'd have him for later."

"If I thought that way I would've bedded half of Thedas." She said with a chuckle as Aisalyn entered the room.

"What's up Kid?" He asked and she simply approached him and hugged him tightly.

"Hey are you okay?" He asked now worried

"Yeah I'll be fine," she said not letting him go.

"Okay." He hugged her back.

"What was that about?" Vivienne asked when she left the room.

"I have no idea."

Vivienne shrugged,

"We saw some pretty...traumatic things," Dorian said

"Did we?"

"Did you what?" Dorian smirked knowing he wouldn't remember.

"I don't know..."

"Exactly. If you want to know, ask her."

"I will."


End file.
